Who's on First?

Summer round up

Rumble in the PortWe told you last month about the free pro wrestling shows that take place every other week at the Oceanview Pavilion in Port Hueneme but last weekend we decided to check out the scene firsthand. Lucky for us, it wasn’t just a typical taping of Championship Wrestling From Hollywood (see last month’s column for the explanation on the odd name for the great location), it was the first annual Red Carpet Rumble. Alongside the promotion’s regular wrestlers, recent WWE Hall of Fame inductee Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who was last seen in Ventura shooting the comedy film, Betting on Baker, which is set for a fall release, as well as former WWE Superstars like Matt Hardy, X-Pac and two of the best wrestlers in the world, AJ Styles and Colt Cabana, brought down the house. We can’t stress how fun pro-wrestling is live and what a deal these shows are with an attractive price tag of free. It’s a chance to see, up close and personal, the future stars of the crazy world of professional wrestling. Visit www.hollywoodwrestling.com and www.oceanviewinfo.com for more information on the next event.Cup overflowethSpeaking of crazy, the world will go crazier than usual over the next few weeks. Yes, that every-four-year burst of soccer insanity is officially upon us. While most of us aren’t lucky enough to travel to host country Brazil to attend a match, fans can cheer for Team USA and local favorite Team Mexico at virtually every bar in the county. Either squad making it to the finals will be nothing short of a miracle, though, as both teams are superlong shots with their odds of winning the cup at 100-1. It could be worse; the odds of the Algerian squad winning it all is a staggering 2,000-1. With that said, why not root for a team with a good chance of going all the way in its league? The Ventura Fusion, which is currently undefeated at home and features several players from soccer-crazed England, has three home games left, including a showdown with PDL rivals the not-so-threatening-sounding Socal Seahorses on Saturday, June 28. Nearly the entire Fusion squad can also be found at downtown Ventura’s Barrelhouse 101 during World Cup Games, and being able to get their insight on the action in person is a pretty awesome opportunity. As for an official Who’s on First World Cup prediction, we back the underdog around here, so suffice it to say, if there’s no column next month, the Algerians shocked the world and the 20 bucks we laid down on them last month in Vegas paid off big time.Summer swingingTwo 805 boxers took full advantage of a shared TV appearance on Showtime earlier this month when Hugo “The Boss” Centeno and Francisco “Chia” Santana both scored unanimous decisions over their undefeated opponents. Both fighters look to be in action later this summer and both are nearing a top-10 world ranking in their respective divisions. Speaking of the fight game, Ventura County’s only active boxing promoter, Top Players Promotions, will make history on Friday, July 11, at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center when it holds the first-ever world title fight to take place in Ventura County. After her win back in March at the same venue, former VC Reporter cover girl and burgeoning female boxing star “The Real Million-Dollar Baby,” Maureen Shea, will now get a long-awaited and well-deserved shot at a legitimate world title. Tickets to the eight-fight card, which also features popular local fighters like Santa Paula’s Indian Banuelos and Oxnard’s David Rodela, are available at the venue and at www.topplayerspromotions.com. The event will also be aired live online at www.gfl.tv, but really, who doesn’t wanna see local sports history made in person?Tournament timeThe annual Oxnard Police Athletic League (PAL) amateur boxing tournament, one of the most prestigious events of its kind on the West Coast, takes place June 19 to 21. Amateur boxers as young as 8 years old will descend on the city for the three-day tournament. Come out and root for the many local kids, both boys and girls, who are currently enrolled in the PAL’s successful amateur boxing program. The Oxnard PAL Gymnasium is located at 350 S. K St., Oxnard, and will house the entire tournament, which starts each day at noon. Can’t make it in person? Bouts will be aired live at www.oxnardpalboxing.com. Speaking of the Oxnard PAL, the organization may fly under the radar but it’s one of the county’s most inspiring and effective youth sports programs helping keep local kids off the streets.Ojai’s dirty dreamNow that Ventura has its own BMX track and is on the national map with last month’s Seaside National Event, Ojai wants in on the action. There’s a Kickstarter campaign happening as we speak to get a dirt track up and running in Ojai. I mean, beach kids can’t have all the biking fun, can they? Visit www.ojaivalleybicyclecoalition.com for more information on donating and to check out the site plan and design. There are only two weeks left in the campaign, so help out now!Day of the skateWe told you earlier this year about the local skateboarding community’s continuing quest to build a new skate park, and the grassroots movement is building momentum. The community is now calling one and all to Pacific Skate Park (located by the Pacific View Mall) this Saturday, June 21, at noon to create awareness for the cause and to celebrate International Go Skateboarding Day. For more information, visit the supercool indie skate shop, Serio, which is located at 2764 E. Main St. in Ventura or visit www.venturaskateparks.org. As Confucius once said, or at least someone nicknamed Confucius, “He who has a board is never bored.”